Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said he has never apologised for sacking Anwar Ibrahim in 1998.

He was responding to excerpts from Anwar's interview which was read out to him during BBC's Hardtalk programme.

“I didn’t tell him that, but other people put words into my mouth because they want me to apologise. But I never made any formal apology to him,” said Mahathir.

Quoting Anwar, BBC Hardtalk's host Zeinab Badawi said: “Mahathir has proven his tenacity, accepted past limitations, apologised and sacrificed his time and energy to raise the dignity of the people and the country.”

However, Mahathir said this was Anwar's personal opinion.

The prime minister claimed that the accusations against Anwar in the past were not raised when the two cooperated in the last general election.

Read more: Anwar: I never asked for Dr M's apology, happy we're working together

To a question, if he felt apologetic, Mahathir said: “I feel sorry for those who have done something and were sentenced to jail.”

In 1998, Mahathir, who was prime minister then, had sacked Anwar as his deputy on the grounds of sexual misconduct.

Anwar was later convicted of sodomy and abuse of power, which he claimed were charges fabricated by Mahathir.

In March this year, Mahathir was quoted as telling Sin Chew Daily in an exclusive interview that if he could turn back time and choose again, he might not sack Anwar.

He said he made the wrong decision of going by the law completely, adding that he should not have taken the action against Anwar.

"From the political point of view, I would not have done this. When I was the prime minister, I promised myself not to do anything that would make people hate me," he had said.